How to watch Bundesliga live online from anywhere

Are you looking to watch Bundesliga live online? In this post, we’ll show you how to stream live Bundesliga soccer matches from anywhere in the world. We’ll also explain how a Virtual Private Network (VPN) bypasses geo-restrictions and allows you to watch Bundesliga games from abroad.

The 2018/19 Bundesliga season starts August 24, with Bayern Munich vs. 1899 Hoffenheim. It will run for 34 weeks, culminating in an epic, nine-match finale on May 18, 2019. The majority of fixtures begin at 2:30 PM BST (6:30 AM PST / 9:30 AM EST), and it’s worth noting that sometimes games will begin simultaneously. As a result, you might want to plan your viewing around a particular team instead of trying to watch every single match live. Below, we’ll explore all of the official Bundesliga broadcasters in your country.

This article will only explore official Bundesliga sources. Unlicensed streams are a sad inevitability for major sporting events, but you should know that they often provide a far inferior viewing experience. With low-resolution video, intermittent streams, and the possibility of a mid-match takedown, there’s no reason to even consider using an unofficial source.

VPNs are among the easiest ways to stay safe when streaming. We recommend using ExpressVPN: it’s a high-speed service with strong encryption and more than 2,000 servers spread throughout 94 countries. Additionally, ExpressVPN can unblock streaming platforms many others can’t including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.

Registration is simple and only takes a minute. Just choose a subscription length (one, six, or twelve months) and make a payment. ExpressVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can trial the service and if unsatisfied, cancel during this period to receive a full refund.

How to stream Bundesliga games with a VPN

Never streamed with a VPN before? It’s actually pretty straightforward:

First, sign up for a suitable VPN service. We mentioned ExpressVPN above, but you might also want to consider NordVPN and CyberGhost, two excellent low-cost alternatives.

Download and install the VPN software, making sure to get the right version for your operating system.

Decide which of the sources below you’d like to use.

Connect to one of your VPN’s servers in the correct location. For instance, you’d use a US server for FOX Sports or a UK one for BT Sport.

Try loading video from your chosen source. It should load almost immediately, without displaying any errors.

TIP: Try following the steps above before the 2018/19 Bundesliga season begins. This way, if there are any issues, you’ll have plenty of time to get help from your VPN’s customer support team.

Where to watch Bundesliga soccer matches online

Some of the world’s best soccer teams play in the Bundesliga, so it’s no surprise that there’s a huge amount of international interest. Luckily, live matches will be broadcast in more than 70 different countries, meaning there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find a suitable local source. Take a look at the country-specific guides below to find out where you can follow all the action live.

Germany

In Germany, Bundesliga broadcast rights are shared between Sky Deutschland and Eurosport. Eurosport will show one game every Friday, with ten additional fixtures on various Sundays and Mondays throughout the season. This service costs €4.99 per month (with a 12-month commitment), but you can get an annual pass for €49.99.

Sky, on the other hand, will be showing 572 Bundesliga and 2nd (2.) Bundesliga matches, with six every Saturday, and two every Sunday. Accordingly, this is a more expensive way to watch: new customers can expect to pay around €29.99 a month for the required TV packages. However, Bundesliga matches will stream live on Sky Go, and on-demand highlights will be available for every past fixture.

If you’d prefer not to pay, there’s just one option: ZDF. This network will be showing live matches from three days of the season (August 24, September 30, and October 6) free of charge.

All of the above sources will provide German commentary.

UK

BT Sport has exclusive Bundesliga broadcast rights in the UK. Subscribers can stream live and on-demand Bundesliga fixtures either via the mobile app or the web player. However, not everyone will be able to watch; BT Sport is only available to BT, TalkTalk, or Sky subscribers.

Predictably, BT customers get the lowest price, with BT Sport subscriptions starting at £6 a month. This rises to £27.99 a month if you don’t have BT broadband or TV. BT Sport is the official UK broadcaster of the Bundesliga until 2021; so unless there’s a sub-licensing deal, it is and will remain the only way to live stream these matches online for the foreseeable future.

USA

US viewers can choose to watch Bundesliga fixtures in either English or Spanish. FOX Sports will be showing matches with English-language coverage live online and via the FOX Sports Go app, while Univision Deportes will be providing Spanish commentary.

Both services allow you to sign in using your cable provider details, but FOX Sports also allows access if you’re subscribed to some of the most popular over-the-top services, such as Sling TV, Hulu, or DirecTV NOW. Additionally, Univision Deportes allows you to sign up without cable for $7.99 USD a month.

Canada

Canadian soccer fans can catch all of the latest action on Sportsnet. This network is showing every Bundesliga game until September 30, with the remainder of the season’s broadcast schedule to be announced at a later date.

You can watch online at no extra cost if Sportsnet is included in your cable TV package. If not, Sportsnet Now subscriptions cost $24.99 CAD per month plus tax. Note that Sportsnet prevents foreign users from signing up. The first block is a region-lock that could be bypassed using a VPN. But signup also requires a payment method registered in Canada, and there’s really no way around that.

Sportsnet Now will show Bundesliga games with English commentary.

France

beIN Sports is the only official Bundesliga broadcaster in France. It’s showing every match live, but will also offer on-demand replays in case you want to watch two games that start at the same time. You can sign up to beIN Sports for €14 a month, or €15 per month with no long-term commitment.

This service will show each Bundesliga fixture with French-language commentary.

Spain

Just like with the NFL, MoviStar+ has exclusive rights to show Bundesliga matches in Spain. Current MoviStar+ subscribers can stream every match live on MoviStar Deportes (which costs an extra €10 a month), but if you have broadband or TV with a different company, you’ll be unable to watch.

MoviStar+ has effectively made access to Bundesliga streams prohibitively expensive for non-subscribers. To even sign up for the required packages as a new customer, you’re expected to pay around €90 and even then, you’ll have to wait until the services are installed before you can stream anything.

Belgium

In Belgium, you can watch every Bundesliga match live on Eleven Sports. This service costs €8 per month, with an annual pass available at a slight discount (€80). There’s also a 48-hour trial period, so if you don’t find the service suitable, you can cancel and get your money back.

Soccer fans can watch matches online, or on a mobile device using the Eleven Sports app for iOS and Android. Streams will be available in both Dutch and French.

Other locations

The Bundesliga is being shown in far too many countries for us to cover them all individually. However, if your country wasn’t mentioned above, don’t panic! There’s still a very good chance you’ll be able to watch. Check out the list of official Bundesliga broadcasters to find a suitable source in your region.

Bundesliga 2018/19 schedule

With each team in the Bundesliga playing 34 games (one match at home and one away against each other competing squad), you can expect a packed schedule once the season starts. In the beginning, most matches take place on a Saturday, with a few other games spread throughout the rest of the week.

However, as the season progresses, mid-week matches become increasingly common, so be sure to check the official 2018/19 Bundesliga schedule ahead of time to ensure you don’t miss anything. You might want to consider using a source that offers on-demand replays of previous fixtures, just in case.

Which teams play in the Bundesliga?

Eighteen of Germany’s best soccer teams face off in the Bundesliga every year. Here’s a complete list of every competing team in the 2018/19 season:

FC Augsburg

Hertha BSC

Werder Bremen

Borussia Dortmund

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Eintracht Frankfurt

SC Freiburg

Hannover 96

1899 Hoffenheim

RB Leipzig

Bayer Leverkusen

Mainz 05

Borussia Mönchengladbach

Bayern Munich

1. FC Nürnberg

Schalke 04

VfB Stuttgart

VfL Wolfsburg

Who is expected to do well this season?

The obvious choice to win is Bayern Munich. They’re an exceptionally hard-working squad and have won the league six years running. Further, last year, they did so with a goal difference that absolutely dwarfed that of the team in second place. However, nothing lasts forever, and they’ll be up against some of the best teams in the world. So, which of the remaining competitors poses the biggest threat?

Borussia Dortmund will likely be a major contender this season. They last won in 2011 and 2012, but have consistently placed in the top four ever since. With a reworked offense centering around Mario Götze and a newly bolstered defense, Dortmund will be looking to work on staying calm and countering when they lose possession. After a 6-0 defeat at Munich’s hands earlier this year, they certainly have something to prove.

It would be wise not to discount Schalke 04 either. The team has been signing world-class defenders like Timotheou and Mendyl, so it’s possible they’ll be playing a slower game this season, with a stronger emphasis on maintaining the lead, rather than pressing every advantage. They scored 49 goals in last year’s season, with almost half coming from set pieces. If the World Cup corner meta-game continues, Schalke 04 may find themselves quickly ascending this season’s Bundesliga league table.